The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-03-19
THE INTERIOR OF AFRICA.
An Entertaining Account Of DIR. Junker'
Journcy-Inci,1ents Of the TrIp.

An Entertaining Account Of DIR. Junher's
Journcy-Incidents Of the Trip.
The natives of the Uganda district be-
lieve In supreme being, but they do not
worship Him, cons' 'aring him SO in
fnitely superior that the worship of in
significant mortals would not be recog-
nized by Him; but they worship inferior
deities, especially the god of the lake,
and on q voyage make libations to Him.
They have also god of war-in fact,
they have their Jupiter, Neptune and
Mars. Warrior chiefs, too, who have
died In battle arc worshiped as demi-
gods. This is very much like the Homeric
mythology. The government of Uganda
is based on the feudal system. The chiefs
own land and fulfill the duties of mngis-
trates; but there is aright Of appeal, and
important cases come before chief or
chiefs Of the highest order. The kingdom
is really limited monarchy; 1t is gov
erned by co..ncil consisting Of the king
and some chiefs Of tho highest order, in
cluding tho chief butler, baker, and,
above all, the chef de cuisine, the cook.
Without the sanction of these august
personages the king can do nothing.
When this parliament is dissolved-it sits
for three months-the members, like our
NJ. P.'s, retire to their country seats.
The king keeps an enormous harem, and
polygamy is an institution. Children and
girls are sold for guns, ammunition, etc.
In the court there are dwarfs and
buffoons, rs there were at European
courts in the olden times.
Baker writes that needles are in great
iemand--the natives being exceedingly
clever tailors and furriers--a handsome
girl may be purchased for thirteen
needles, to be exchanged in Unyoro for
MI elephant tusk, which would be worth
eco or ESQ in England. In Unyoro
there is an established value for healthy
young girl-such a person is equal to q
single elephants 'tusk of the first class or
new shirt. Thus q girl might bc p,ir-
chased for u shirt, and subsequently ex-
changed for q large elephants tusk.
Slavery is national institution of the
country. In Unyoro the girls are pur-
chased for various commodities, such rs
brass coil, bracelets, bark, clothes, cot
ton, shirts, ivory, etc. The Unyoro
country lies at the southeast bank of the
Albert Nyanz-
DIR. Junker was allowed to proceed on
his journey in a boat belonging to the
mission after he had made some hand
some presents to the king. This place is
at the south Of Victoria Nyanza. He re-
niained here four days. Toward the
southwest the banks lose the appearance
Of fertility which they had on the north;
and rocky hills without vertlure, or
merely covered with stunted mimosa OF
coarse grass, run to the margin Of the
lake, where they end in naked rocks. In
the narrow bays formed by these ridges
are here and there villages nesting
among banana groves.
DIR. Junker now got to Ukumhi. Here
the hills rccede again, and beds of am-
batch are found growing In the water.
The natives construct boats from this
weed, which is SO extremely buoyant that
a boat ten feet long and four feet wide
made of it will support at least twelve
men. The lowest point at which this
pithy weed is found is about latitude 12.
Other parts of the coast are often fringed
with waterlilies, and the islands at the
south of the lake are as beautiful us fairy
land. 1t is an cvcrchanging kaleidoscope
at one spot purple convolvuli and tile
graceful papri abound, around which in
Vulnerable quantities of water fowl Of
every description hover and swim; while
here and there huge hippopotami are seen
floundering, and crockodilcs basEing
where there happens to be sandbanks or
grassy creeks. In tho middle distance are
seen plantain groves and grassy plains Of
vivid emerald while in the background
stand gigantic trees with branches twisted
most Enthusiastically. From Ullumhi DR..
Junker went on to Ut Salala, where
there is church mission station. Thence
he went with his porters and donkeys
to Uyui. Uyui may almost be called q
town. It is one of the largest COL
lections Of huts in Africa. Here and
there are places shaded by immense fig
trees, under which tho natives sit. This
is prosperous station. 1t is ten miles
northeast from Tabora, the great center
of Arab trade.
The doctor then continued his journey
over the Ugodo country. through the
Rubal pass to Mpwapwa. Mpwapwa
lies ON the western slopes of the Usagara
mountains, adjoining the vast tract of
forest which separates it from the table
land Of Uugodo. Clusters of villages are
scattered all over the plains, their in
habitants supporting themselves on the
product of the soil and by breeding
cattle. The country is fertile, and pro-
duces large crops of dhurra, Indian corn
and other cereals. The natives dwell in
mud huts, built square, with large
court house in the center, into which (as
is common in the Soudan) the cattle are
driven at night to prevent their being
dumped" as the Cape expression runs;
the doors are strongly built of wood.
The inhabitants are a mixed race Of
Wagogo and Wassagara and other tribes.
Toward the west stretches an immense
plain; to the north are fields of dhurra,
and to the south and east vast forests-a
paradise for sportsman, Us all kinds Of
game-lions, leopards, antelopes and
buffaloes rove there. In a southerly
direction tower lofty mountains; indeed,
it were difficult to conceive more
romantic spot than that where our
traveller rested.-Cairo Cor. London
News.